WOUB Alumna First Female To Technical Direct ESPN Super Bowl Shows

Once upon a time, a woman working in sports broadcasting was only a dream. In a male-dominated career field, it wasn’t easy for women to break into the jobs men had held for years.

Kimberly Kanner, BSC ‘08, is living this dream. Less than five years after graduating from Ohio University with a degree in video production, she is the first female technical director for ESPN broadcasts at one of the biggest sporting events of the year – the Super Bowl.

According to Kanner, she knew when she graduated from college she wanted to be a technical director, but didn’t anticipate she would get an honor such as this one.

“When I first found out I was asked to TD (technical direct) for ESPN productions at the Super Bowl I was speechless. I could not believe that I (a TD with 4 ½ years at ESPN) was going to the Super Bowl to technical direct SportsNation (on ESPN2) and the Sports Reporters,” Kanner said. “I primarily work on NFL shows so when I found out that I was requested for the Super Bowl, I couldn't put (the excitement) into words.”

As a student at Ohio University, Kanner worked for WOUB Public Media in several capacities including working for WOUB’s daily news show “Newswatch,” the high school football show “Gridiron Glory” and the Ohio University sports show “Bobcat Blitz” (now known as “The Bobcat Sports Showcase”).

Kanner was technical director during the 2007 season of “Gridiron Glory,” which was honored with a student production award from the Ohio Valley chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

According to Kanner, her experiences on the WOUB sports shows not only gave her additional skills that she didn’t learn in college classes, but helped her decide what she wanted to do as a career.

“If not for my experience at WOUB I would not be where I am today. All the hands-on experience I learned from working there has helped me transfer my skills to my work at ESPN,” said Kanner.

“Not only were we responsible for putting numerous shows on the air in Athens (for WOUB), but we were also given the opportunity to learn and ask questions and that has helped me to get to where I am today.”

Kanner says she never anticipated being the first female to get this type of honor.

“I knew when I graduated from college that I wanted to be a TD but if you had asked me where I would have been 5 years later I never would have said at the Super Bowl in New Orleans. There are not many female technical directors so to be selected from my fellow technical directors in Bristol, Conn., was a giant accomplishment.”

According to Mike Rodriguez, WOUB student professional development director, he’s seen a significant increase in females participating in WOUB’s sports shows over the past few years.

“Women are meeting technology demands in media and leveling out the playing field. I’m pleased to hear of Kim’s continuing success, she was a devoted and ambitious student at WOUB and I know she will continue to make significant contributions in her field.”